The Price of Freedom
by LostOnAPathOfLife
Summary: Ada's dream was to see the ocean. Thanks to her grandfather's high ambitions and undying sense of faith, but will she ever get to see it? She was just like a bird trapped in a cage, and she still continued to sing her sad song, even if she lost her wings to fly. Freedom, seemed more than impossible.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Attack On Titan (Shingeki No Kyojin) , or any other characters, I only own my OC- Ada and any plot changes I may make to the story.

* * *

Ada stared at the clouds, laying quite comfortably in the small yard in front of her house. "Good morning Ada!" Her neighbor waved, giving a cheerful smile. Ada nodded and gave a small wave to the lady next door, notorious for her daily gossiping.

She sighed, more to herself than anything, feeling more bored than ever, still she was just a child, but could find nothing entertaining.

"Did you hear the news?" She heard her neighbor start to chat lively to a passerbyer. This could be interesting, Ada sat up feeling somewhat alert to the newly made conversation.

Not hearing a reply, the lady continued, "The survey corps returned, they went through the Trost District a few days ago."

"Ah, and how many made it back?" The man asked.

The lady frowned at this, "Not nearly as much as last time, they brought the new recruits with them. Quite a waste, in my opinion."

The man her neighbor was talking to, scoffed before replying, "We are practically feeding the titans. Wasting important resources and what about our tax money!"

The gossipy nodded agreeably, "We have lived in peace for years now, they are fools if you ask me."

Ada didn't know what to make of their harsh words. She let her thoughts go unanswered as she went back inside.

* * *

"Grandpa?"

Ada's grandfather smiled down at Ada, stars twinkling in his eyes, "What is it?"

Twirling her brunette hair lightly with her fingertips, Ada thought of the right words to express the feeling of confusion she felt at the moment.

"What are...titans?"

Her grandfathers gaze turned cold, she was only a child, yet the destruction outside the walls was inevitable.

That was the day Ada learned of the monsters that were called Titans.

Ada was only four, yet still such a naive child.

* * *

As Ada grew up she learned only what they wanted you to know about titans. They, were mostly Monarchy, and the questionable people that made up the government. She learned this quickly as growing up in the inner walls, she felt isolated from the real world. Fake, was the only thing she could describe it as being.

In school she gained a basic education, she was taught of how the walls surrounding them were meant to protect them. But in Ada's eyes, they were also to keep them cornered, if a wall was destroyed, where would they run to? Being surrounded, trapped, like an animal in a cage, a meal for the titans that, undoubtedly dwelled outside the walls.

There were 3 walls. Wall Maria, Wall Rose, and Wall Sina. Growing up Stohess Disctrict which was located on the East edge of Wall Sina,the innermost wall, practically guaranteed protection, but did it didn't change the desire to venture to the outside world.

Despite many questions still going unanswered, Ada was also taught to not question anything about the walls or anything about the outside world. Yet no matter what she was taught she felt trapped.

Her dream was freedom, to go outside the walls, and see the world. We can't just stay in the wall forever, right? Like a cage, one day, they'll have no where to run too.

But despite Ada's ideas, she stayed in the walls, as she was never brave enough to say anything against it, anyway. Anything about the outside world was banned, a silent "taboo". Because life was inside the walls, not to be found outside them, where it was unsafe.

Ada's grandfather was a force to be messed with however.

Her grandfather continued to tell Ada legends and stories of the world behind the walls. His stories just fed her eagerness to explore the outside world. He told about how the land went on for miles, never ending. He also told of the surreal stories his grandparents told him about the outside world and about a place called the ocean. A never ending sea he described it.

"But what is a sea or ocean?" Ada would ask, confused, when she had never heard such things before. Which wasn't rare, as her grandfather always explained absurd things she struggled to imagine really existed once, if ever.

He would smile down at her, and have this shining gleaming look in his eyes, as he always was when Ada asked him questions. "It's like a huge mass of water" He gave thoughtful look for a moment, "But it's salt water."

Ada's eyes would widened at the mere thought of such a thing. "But how can you know that if you've never seen it?"

And then he just smiled, no words for a second, and gave a thoughtful glance that told as though he had a secret he wasn't sure of sharing. "I don't."

"What do you mean?" Ada blurted out.

"Faith." He chuckled, lightly, "It's not as common as it used to be, but it's just like how I have faith that humanity will strike back."

Ada raised her eyebrows at him, surprised again by his words. LIving in the Stohess District, the town located on the East side of Wall Sina, was a town where no one worried about titans. To some, they were merely just a nightmare. Something that would eventually go away. But for others, all hope was lost.

He laughed at Ada's expression. "Look Ada, you're young, and I am growing older every day." What is he getting with this? Was the mere question in Ada's mind.

"When I'm gone," He said the words lightly, and bluntly, "I want you to see the ocean for me, Okay?"

Ada nodded to her grandfather's odd and sudden request, she couldn't say no, of course, what else could she do? Her grandpa's smile was more than empowering but inspiring, when she replied, "I'll prove it exists, faith."

Ada's dreams of freedom consisted of lots of things, but her wish suddenly came to see the ocean. And that was what she planned on doing.

Ada was a child, and she knew nothing of death. That was one of her last conversations with her grandfather, before he passed away.

The point is, Ada Sommer was a naive child, and despite wanting to venture the outside world, she was raised to believe that the walls would never fail humanity, just as 100 years before them.

But all happy endings would have to come to an end, as reality was a fragile thing, and one day, they would.

* * *

**[Author's Note]**

**Okay, So here is a short little prologue to my new fanfic ^.^ Shingeki No Kyojin! I absolutely fell in love with the show...I watched it on netflix ." I'm in the middle of reading the manga as well, I'm not quite sure if I'll continue this. Heh. I just wanted to get this typed up and published.**

******I decided to name my OC Ada Sommer, which is of German nationality. 'Ada' means: **_"Sweet or pleasant; of the nobility. Noble. From the Old German 'athal' meaning noble." _**and 'Sommer' just means **_Summer._

**Please review/follow/favorite if you would like me to continue~! :3**

** . **


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Attack On Titan (Shingeki No Kyojin) , or any other characters, I only own my OC- Ada and any plot changes I may make to the story.

**Reply to Anoymous-**

_aniqa1234:_ I'm not quite sure to be honest! With my other fanfic I'm writing, the character plays a major role in the story and has changed a lot in the plot. I have learned a lot from it that writing fanfics that stray from what actually happened (Like an alternate universe fic) is really hard, and its even harder to keep everyone in character. However, one way or another, my OC is probably going to end up changing the story line *le sigh* So I guess the real answer is...maybe? Probably a major role, no doubt.

* * *

When Ada was nine, she heard a bird outside in front of her house. A songbird, which sang the most beautiful tunes. It was a small blue bird and had the most vibrant colored wings.

It was the most graceful little thing. In fact, Ada was jealous of the bird. Which had something she didn't have, freedom.

However Ada admired the delicate bird greatly, it was free. It had the wings to fly away whenever it desired.

But one day, something was different, she noticed it right away. She had heard distinctly the songbird, singing it's regular tune. However, when she walked towards it, it didn't fly away. Confused, she walked a bit closer, and noticed it's limp wing.

Immediately concerned, she hurredly carried the bird inside to her grandfather, he would know what to do, he always did.

Of course her grandfather gave her a long lecture about how she shouldn't pick up wild animals outside, seeing as they could carry some kind of disease or illness, before she could explain the full situation.

But, after much pestering and convincing, her grandfather agreed to tending to the poor affectionate bird, despite only knowing about a basic animal health.

Her grandfather sighed, "It seems as though one it's wings are hurt." He could only figure out the obvious about the injury. Her grandfather pointed to its fragile wing, which was indeed very limp, compared to the other wing.

"What can we do grandpa?" Ada determinedly asked, she couldn't just give up.

Her grandfather did all he could, he wrapped a small bandage on the bird's wing. "For now, all we can hope is that it will heal." He answered, with furrowed eyebrows.

"But, what if it doesn't?" Ada frowned at this, worried for the powerless bird.

Her grandfather's gaze softened, but never answered her question, "Why don't you find a box and grass to make a home for the little guy."

Ada forgot all about her question, and nodded eagerly, going to find an empty box to put some dirt and grass in with the small fragile bird in her hands.

After making a makeshift birdhouse, she placed the small thing inside. "You like it?" She smiled happily. The bird then chirped to her, as though replying loyally.

Ada smiled warmly as the songbird then sang another song. It was only until later, Ada thought more about the bird in the wooden crate.

Weren't they all just birds who can't fly? They are just stuck in a box, a cage, and still can't escape. Songbirds, how can they still sing as though nothing is wrong? Ada frowned at this thought and soon found herself hating the angelic bird.

The bird was trapped, how could she sing her common tune as though nothing was wrong?

The bird was free, and had it taken away in a second. All due to a broken wing. But Ada didn't really hate the bird, she began to hate humanity. For they were the ones willing to stay in a cage, and they didn't have broken wings. Or did they?

Nearly a week later, the bird died. Yet it still sang a sad song untill the very end. That was Ada's first encounter with death.

It was another day, and Ada got up reluctantly, as she had seemingly nothing else to do. Stretching, she looked up out her window from her bedroom. The wall was still standing, casting a large shadow of darkness over the district.

Ada frowned at this, choosing to ignore it as she look up at the sky. Forgetting all her worries and concerns she smiled, because the everchanging clouds looked just as beautiful as yesterday.

"Good Morning Ada!" Her grandfather sang a random song to her, cheerful, despite it being so early. Ada groaned in pretend annoyance, "Whyyyyy?" But couldn't keep up the act, and burst into a fit of giggles.

Her grandfather grinned, "Why don't you tend to the garden outside?" He suggested something for her to do.

Ada nodded, and ran outside to the small garden her grandfather had helped her make a few months ago. Her grandfather had one day jokingly suggested it as something to do when Ada complained of being bored, and soon enough, Ada took it as a serious idea.

Ada decided what plants she wanted and began planting them right away. Her grandfather was there to help of course.

Grabbing a small vase, she filled it with water, and ran outside to the garden, watering all the plants. She did it very slowly and hesitantly, to be sure each plant got the right amount of water, not too much, but an equal amount each.

She nodded, proud of herself. Then Ada eyed each of the plants and determined the growing plants front weeds, which was harder than she thought. Ada winced, once when she was younger, her grandfather asked her to pick the weeds out of the yard.

Long story short, she pulled out way more than just weeds.

One plant in particular caught her eye. It was a yellowish, pasty like color. It stood out from the other plants. It wrinkly like leaves, and the petals of the flower were falling off. It must have been a very pretty flower, it must have, but now, it was dying.

As Ada was a very imaginative thinker, she thought about the lasting impression of the flower as she plucked it out of the soil. What would happen when someone died? Were their last moments as simple as that plant being picked out of the ground? A shriveled up plant that was dying. What this what happened to people to?

Would it be obvious that this person was dying? Would their color fade, just like the flower? As it had seemed so simple, but this was a very complicated thought she couldn't push from her mind. This was Ada's second experience with death.

After finishing tending to the garden, she ran inside to wash her dirt covered hands. Only a few minutes later, to run back outside again.

Lying in the grass, in her usual spot, she stared up at the clouds, dreaming.

Ada was very lonely sometimes. She personally wasn't too close with her parents. As they both happened to be successful shopkeepers, they were busy working most of the time.

They left the house early in the morning and came home late at night. She was never really close with them. Or have any kind of relationship with them, for that matter. Ada didn't feel any hate towards them however, she understood.

Her parents were the ones making a living. They needed to work to buy food. The cost of that however, was they weren't a very avid part in Ada's life. But Ada didn't mind, she had her grandfather.

Her grandfather was always and would alway be there for her. But her grandfather was becoming older and older everyday. And people couldn't live forever. Ada pushed those thoughts out of her mind.

As Ada grew older, she noticed how her grandfather was aging as well. She was reminded of the flower and how its color faded. Her grandfather's color, his life, was fading.

It was bound to happen at any point, but Ada wasn't ready accept the fact. As she was too close to her grandfather to let him go.

But one day, abruptly her grandfather had in fact died. Poor Ada was eleven when her beloved grandfather passed over. He had simply went to sleep one night, and never woke up. A peaceful and painless death someone, a doctor had said, hoping to ease her suffering, this was only her third encounter with death.

But that was more than enough, Ada had already decided that she really didn't like death.

* * *

**[Author's Note]**  
**Oh wow, I actually updated. Unedited and standing in all it's glory. Maybe there's a chance I'll be able to continue this without a severe case of writer's block. The chapter's longer as well ^-^**

**Please follow/fav/review if you'd like me to continue~!**


	3. Chapter 2

_"On that day, mankind received a grim reminder...of the terror of being at their mercy...of the humiliation of being trapped inside a cage...We lived in fear of Titans, and were disgraced to live in these cages we called walls." -Eren Yeager_

**Year 845:**

"All soldiers prepare for battle! There's only one target! We will exterminate it and claim this spot as humanity's first stronghold beyond the walls!" The commander ordered, confident in his words, inspiring the onlooking soldiers.

"Target approaching!" A soldier yelled.

"Split into fives groups just as we practiced! We'll act as the bait! All assault squads switch to Omni-directional gear!" The commander gave a hand signal.

The soldiers use their 3-D maneuver gear to leap of the horses, using the huge trees that surrounded them to travel and surround the titan.

"Strike from all directions at once!"

A soldier immediately took action as he flew towards the nape of the Titan's neck, spinning with both swords in hand with seemingly no effort at all, "Taste the power...of humanity!"

Letting instinct takeover, he ended it with a swift slice. The titan fell to the ground, defeated.

* * *

Ada stared out her window, the light reflecting and lighting every inch of her room with a brightening, heartwarming light. Ada smiled to herself, today is the day, and what a beautiful day it was. Running downstairs, she tripped on her socks. "Ouch." She muttered momentarily, before recovering almost immediately.

Going with her usual morning routine, she went to the kitchen for breakfast. Looking at the empty cupboards full dust with a look of heartbreak in her eyes. Of course, she should've went shopping last night. Her stomach growled in agreement to her thoughts.

Running back to her room to get dressed, she hurriedly grabbed money from her wallet. It seems as though she would have to do some shopping before she went to see her parents at the shop.

Grabbing a basket on her way out the door, she thought of what she would get. Bread, cheese, meat, fruits, and vegetables was her goal, only the necessities. But the prices for certain food was beginning to rise, do to lack of farming and other reasons. It hadn't been a good crop season either.

Ada stared at the lack of money in her hands, would it be enough?

Finding her usual food market store, she grabbed only what she needed, a few people giving her suspicious looks. Probably thinking she would run off with some expensive produce, no doubt. As people became more and more paranoid about such small matters. Ada was really quite petite and small, and was often mistaken for a little kid, even if she was quite young. Ada prided herself in her mentality and smarts to be mature for her age. Situations like this, however, did nothing to help her struggling self confidence.

After feeling accomplished with the items she had purchased, her wallet now hurting as it was now very empty compared to when she had left the house.

By the time she made it back home, it was nearly lunchtime. Her stomach growled miserably. Deciding to make a sandwich, she ate and then went to her chores.

First she had to tend to the garden, nodding to herself, as she gathered her gloves, and filling a vase full of water. After pulling the stray weeds and watering the plants, smiling to herself at her accomplishment. The garden still held a deep meaning to Ada, as it made it feel connected to her grandfather. Ada's new mission was laundry.

Ada pouted to herself, out of every chore, this was by far her least favorite. You see, Ada was not coordinated at all. She struggled to do things as simple as 'folding' the laundry. After doing such frivolous things, she carried a basket of wet laundry and hung them up outside to dry.

Ada nodded, smiling to herself, proud of her work. Now she could go speak to her parents, or rather, her mother. Overjoyed at getting everything done, she ran downtown to where all the shops were. Opening the door to her parent's crowded bakery shop, the bell attached to the door rattles considerably.

"Ah, Ada. It's nice to see you here." Her mom smiled sweetly, carrying a tray of bread, "Could you help me carry-" and with that said, her mom tripped and the tray full of bread nearly fell. Ada leaned forward, catching the tray, only a single loaf of bread falling onto her mother's head.

Bursting out into a light laughter, she scolded her mom jokingly, "You work too hard, you know?"

Her mother sighed tiredly at her own carelessness, "The work never goes away though, does it?"

Ada shook her head, helping her mom up. Ada smiled almost sadly in a way, she'd been regretting this decision for a long time, "I need to talk to you, it's important."

Her mom furrowed her eyebrows in worry. "You can tell me anything, you know that right?"

"I know," Ada nodded. "Tell me." Ada's mother replied, gripping her daughter's shoulders. Ada's posture stiffened, "I've decided that I'd like to join the military."

Ada could feel herself being shook quickly, by her mother's arms in protest. "You're too young!"

Ada shook her head and prepared herself for her mother's reaction. "Not now, in a few years, when I'm 12. Then I will join the training corps."

"B-but" she stuttered to find the right words, she had an uncanny feeling Ada would leave her to join the military one day, but so soon? Ada's mother worried, she was just like her father and her grandfather before him. "Does your father know?" Ada nodded, she told him weeks before, he was always supporting for her and her ideas.

Tears became prominent in her mother's eyes. "You're just like your father...such a fool" She murmured, "But he's most definitely proud of you." Her laughed, tears falling. "He joined to the military too, once."

"He did?!"

Her mother nodded sadly, "He couldn't do much because of his leg," Referring to his physical disability, causing him to walk with a cane, "it wasn't as bad then, but he was still willing to try. He barely passed training, but he somehow did." Ada smiled sadly, thinking of his strong willpower, no wonder her father has been so supportive on her dream.

"Of course, it got worse as the years passed, and he had to quit." Ada's mother frowned at the thought, thinking of the night he returned, he was heartbroken. She had tried her best to comfort him then, as they had met not long before. They began dating about a year later. She couldn't help but smile, it seemed so long ago that they got married and had Ada. But she recognized that as much as Ada was similar to her father, they also differed by far, giving little insight to Ada's future. What would happen to Ada?

"It's been decided hasn't it?" Tears continued to fall from her mother's eyes, "I can't stop you can I?" Ada could only nod her head, as she prepared herself to leave.

Ada started to turn to walk home when her mother grabbed her arm, "Promise me something." Ada furrowed her eyebrows, wondering what it was, as she supposed she could. "What?"

"Make it into the Military Police." Ada looked down, she wanted to get outside the walls, not closer inside. "What if I don't make it into the top 10?"

"You will...promise me!" She demanded, hoping her daughter would do what she said, almost crying now..

"I promise," Ada whispered, walking away. Ada's mother almost smiled at her bravery, she knew she would grow into a strong woman.

"And don't die..." Her mother's voice trailed off.

"How can I die if I'm free?" Ada said to herself, smiling with tears shining in her eyes, walking home. Ada's mother widened at Ada's decision, knowing that she couldn't stop her now into joining the Scouting Legion. Those few years would go by quickly, and her mother wanted to spend the most time possible with her before she left.

Ada's mother bowed her head to pray, after all, she couldn't stop fate.

Something changed in Ada and her belief then, knowing that it was inevitable she would die if she wasn't strong. Her thoughts wandered on how she would become strong and help save humanity.

However something else seemed to change around her as the air seemed to grow thick and cold, on instinct Ada looked at the sky, noticing the birds flying from one direction. Ada narrowed her eyes, they were flying away from something. A loud bang interrupted the peaceful and quiet sense of normal. It sounded like...thunder? Ada squinted and looked up again, it couldn't start raining, there wasn't a single grey cloud in the sky.

Ada tried to let the thought leave her mind as she walked home. But it stayed as it didn't take an expert to realize that something was terribly wrong.

* * *

**[Author's Note]**

**I tried my best to get this chapter done as soon as possible, I struggle with 3rd person POV if you can't tell. haha. It's because in everything else I've ever written it's been in 1st person. I hope that my writing is improving, I somewhat rushed as I felt an update was absolutely needed.**

**Please follow/fav/review~  
**


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